Defold 1.2.107 has been released

Release notes
#1

Defold 1.2.107

This sprint we’ve worked on improving performance on the texture loading and creation, and also preloading of assets.
In short, the bulk of the work is done on another thread, allowing the main thread to run as intended.
This for instance speeds up loading of particle systems and WebP compressed textures.

We have also added anonymous tracking of how the editor is being used* in order for us to better understand our users, help us with prioritisation and improve the product.

(*Clarification edit: it tracks what version is running and what parts of the editor that are used)

Engine

  • DEF-2772 - Added: Async decoding of WebP images
  • DEF-2651 - Added: Async texture GPU upload
  • DEF-2770 - Added: Added LuaSocket documentation
  • DEF-2688 - Fixed: The particle spawn rate spread is now working
  • DEF-2768 - Fixed: Libraries with unusual folder structure crashed Bob
  • DEF-2756 - Fixed: Small improvement on error handling if the generated R.java doesn’t compile
  • DEF-2625 - Fixed: Increased buffer used to parse game.project values to 2048

Documentation

  • We’ve added a brand new tutorial of how to make a classic 15 puzzle game
  • we’ve also added documentation for LuaSocket in both editors
  • Lots of smaller fixes

In the works

Native Extensions

The work on Windows support is progressing nicely.
The main parts of the build pipeline is functional, with some cleanup left to do.
Planning for a release in the next sprint.

Facebook Gameroom

Another upcoming big feature is support for Facebook’s Gameroom.
This will allow you to use Facebook and in app puchases on the Windows platform through their new platform.
This feature is estimated to arrive in the next release.

Particles in GUI

A long awaited feature is support for particles in GUI.
It is a big task with some big refactoring involved, but it is going well.
A recent benefit from this was the batching of particle systems.

14 Likes
Sound stutter while loading a collection factory (SOLVED)
#2

no words just :joy_cat:

4 Likes
#3

Would be great if you add particles in gui to the editor 2 before release 1.2.108. I could test it in my project. And other developers, I think, can help with it too.
Because I afraid that big changes like this can make some regression like it was with spine in gui.

Amazing, amazing features! :heart_eyes_cat:

4 Likes
#4

Amazing release!

I heard you guys want to try and split part of the core and turn them into extensions (like physics), so that the engine is even lighter.
How’s this going to work with the parts that are integrated in the editor itself? Do you plan to release a sort of editor scripting too?
That would be tremendous. Thinking about native extensions, integrated also in the editor in the workflow.

5 Likes
#5

Yes, most of the engine is already built around the concept of “extensions”, though they need some work to be entirely modular and thus can be removed from the engine.

As for how it’s going to work with the parts integrated in the editor, I think we’re a bit undecided still. We haven’t really gotten to that point yet (although @Ragnar_Svensson has done some initial tests of scripting Editor 2 with Lua). But yes, we are planning of having “Editor Extensions” too, and we want to have some way to manipulate the build pipeline too.

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